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Current emergency response efforts

Colombia humanitarian crisis 

Due to escalating violence, severe inflation and critical shortages of food, education and health care in Venezuela and Colombia, children are battling a dire humanitarian crisis. Together, we have the opportunity to give them the safety, resources and opportunities they need to survive and recover. 

More than 8 million people need urgent humanitarian aid in Colombia. 

More than 13 million people in Colombia are experiencing food insecurity.

More than seven million people have fled the country in search of safety and stability.  

Since 1987, SOS Children’s Villages has provided safe homes and loving families to children without parental care and strengthened families to prevent separation in Colombia.  

With decades of humanitarian expertise, SOS Children’s Villages delivers critical and life-saving assistance, ensuring children receive the protection and care they need through multiple programs—like Take my Hand and our Family and Community Development Center in Chocó. 

As many families embark on the perilous journey to Colombia in search of a better life for their children, SOS Children’s Villages works across neighboring countries, collaborating to ease the transition and help children integrate into their new communities while combating xenophobia through cultural inclusion programs. 

Our collective impact in Colombia

So far, with the support of compassionate people like you, our local staff and partner organizations, together, we:  

  • Provided essential aid to more than 5,000 individuals who migrated to Colombia—providing nutritious food, water and sanitation resources, and economic empowerment to caregivers while protecting children from abuse, neglect and violence.  

  • Supported 457 children and young people​ who are without—or have been separated from—parents with tailored services, protection and family-like care. 

  • Created child-friendly spaces for educational and mental health services to 2,700 children and young people. 

  • Partnered with 360 local authorities to strengthen child protection, resource distribution and capacity building so communities have the sustainable support they need to support vulnerable families and children. 

How you can help children now 

Donate to the Children in Crisis Fund  

Children in Colombia need immediate aid to escape the devastating effects of hunger, violence and family separation. Your gift to the Children in Crisis Fund saves lives—providing food, shelter and psychological care to the most vulnerable. 

Join the SOS Guardians  

Join the SOS Guardians and your compassionate monthly support will shield children in crisis worldwide. Your commitment delivers life-saving aid in the hardest to reach places when and where children need you most. 

Violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Prolonged political unrest and armed conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has made it one of the most dangerous places in the world for children. Without urgent intervention, children’s lives will remain in jeopardy.  

 

A childhood scarred by terror 

In 2025 alone, 400,000 people have been displaced in eastern DRC due to escalating violence—adding to the seven million people already displaced. 

More than 4,000 children have been forcibly recruited into armed groups, suffering from sexual violence or forced into combat. 

More than 73% of people in DRC live on less than $2.15 a day.  

Nearly two million children have severe wasting, an extreme and life-threatening stage of undernutrition.  

The children and families in the DRC face severe challenges, which are only compounded by armed conflict, natural disasters and economic instability.  

Since 1989, SOS Children’s Villages has provided safe homes and loving families to children without parental care and strengthened families to prevent separation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  

With escalating violence from the armed M23 rebel group threatening the lives of those in eastern DRC, hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes and the need for aid has exponentially increased. So far in 2025, it’s estimated that 11 million people in the DRC desperately need humanitarian assistance—most notably access to food and life-saving medical care. 

Humanitarian needs are at an all-time high, but we remain dedicated to protecting vulnerable children from violence, malnutrition and displacement—bringing decades of emergency expertise and strong local relationships to make a sustainable, lasting impact on those in need. 

Our collective impact in DRC

To date, with the support of compassionate people like you, our local staff and partner organizations, together, we:  

  • Evacuated 55 children, young people and staff from the SOS Children’s Village in Bukavu to a safer location. 

  • Supported more than 3,000 people with services like nutritious food, economic empowerment and more, to ensure families are strengthened and remain together. 

  • Delivered crucial health care to more than 2,500 individuals. 

  • Provided over 400 children with a safe, loving home and all the resources they need to thrive in three SOS Children’s Villages locations. 

How you can help children now 

Join the SOS Guardians  

Join the SOS Guardians and your compassionate monthly support will shield children in crisis worldwide. Your commitment delivers life-saving aid in the hardest to reach places when and where children need you most. 

Become a Guardian today

Donate to the Children in Crisis Fund  

Children in Colombia need immediate aid to escape the devastating effects of hunger, violence and family separation. Your gift to the Children in Crisis Fund saves lives—providing food, shelter and psychological care to the most vulnerable. 

Donate now

Israel & Palestine conflict 

Our humanitarian response continues through the ceasefire.

Over 47,000 lives have been lost, leaving a devastating wake of grief.  

At least 17,000 children are separated from their parents in the Gaza Strip. 

95% of schools in the Gaza Strip have been damaged or destroyed—children have no access to formal education. 

After 15 months of devastating conflict, this ceasefire offers children in Palestine and Israel hope, but their healing is far from over.  

Unlike organizations that may scale back aid too soon, SOS Children’s Villages follows a “first in, last out” approach. We remain on the ground and continue delivering life-saving support until a community is stable, preventing crises that arise from leaving an area prematurely. 

To ensure children have the safety and resources they need to heal, recover and ultimately thrive, our emergency response teams continue to deliver immediate aid and long-term support.  

SOS Children’s Villages is a secular, nonpartisan organization whose primary responsibility is to provide for and protect children—wherever and whenever they need it most. We have been providing safe, loving homes to children, strengthening families and delivering life-saving aid in times of crisis in Palestine since 1968 and in Israel since 1977.  

Our collective impact in Israel + Palestine 

Thanks to compassionate supporters like you, we:  

  • Gave 60 children without parental care a safe, loving home in SOS Children’s Villages in Palestine until they can be reunited with their families and reunited 17 children with their families of origin. 

  • Conducted an additional emergency relocation of children and adults from the village in Rafah to protect them from heightened security risks in May 2024. With the help of compassionate donors, we built shelters and provided vital emergency supplies and basic needs for the displaced children and families.  

  • Expanded emergency centers, created support groups and worked with trauma specialists to develop tailored programs for children in Israel.   

  • Prepared SOS Children’s Villages in Israel for potential escalation with generators, food, water and occupational and learning activities.  

  • Supported more than 10,000 families with cash assistance to cover their basic needs in Gaza and Israel.   

  • Delivered mental health and psychosocial support to more than 2,156 individuals, helping children and families cope with the trauma of war. 

 

Children in crisis need you 

Gaza is in ruins. Children and families face severe shortages of food, water, safe shelter and trauma-informed care.   

Our local, trained emergency response teams continue to relentlessly deliver life-saving aid to children and families in Israel and Gaza.  

When the ceasefire began in January 2025, our team visited the evacuated children’s village in Rafah. It was completely destroyed.  

“Had we not left, we probably would have all been killed,” said Reem Alreqeb, Gaza Program Director for SOS Children’s Villages Palestine. “We will need to rebuild everything from scratch. It is likely the children and staff who remain in Gaza will have to live in temporary shelters for a long time.”  

Your gift to the Children in Crisis Fund doesn’t just save lives—it rebuilds them. Be the helping hand a child needs today, providing safety, stability and love so the most vulnerable children.

Donate now

 

War in Ukraine 

After three years of war in Ukraine, millions of children and families need critical humanitarian assistance. Together, we can provide shelter, care, safety and hope to vulnerable children and families. 

14.6 million people need urgent humanitarian support. 

More than 7 million children have experienced violence, displacement and disrupted education. 

More than 70,000 children have lost parental care. 

Our collective impact in Ukraine 

Since 2003, SOS Children’s Villages has provided safe homes and loving families to children without parental care and strengthened families to prevent separation in Ukraine.  

With the support of compassionate people like you, our local staff and partner organizations continue to support children and families amidst the terror of war. Together, we:  

  • Reached over 400,000 children and families with life-saving resources.  

  • Created child-friendly spaces for children to access the education and psychosocial support they need to thrive. 

  • Delivered financial assistance so families can care for their basic needs. 

  • Provided psychological and mental health services to children and families recovering from the trauma of war. 

  • Ensured health care support for children overcoming injuries sustained in the conflict, including providing tablets so they can continue their education while they heal in a hospital. 

  • Offered immediate relief—like food, supplies, psychosocial support and evacuations help—to more than 2,800 children and their foster parents supported by SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine.  

  • Welcomed over 600 children without parental care into a safe home and loving family. 



Children in crisis need you 

Without immediate aid and protection, children face horrifying dangers—violence, exploitation, hunger, separation from their families and so much more. Your gift to the Children in Crisis Fund saves lives. Be the helping hand a child needs today, providing safety, stability and love to the most vulnerable children.

Donate now

Nigeria floods 

On September 10, 2024, millions of families in Maiduguri—the capital city of Borno State—Nigeria awoke to devasting flooding caused by the overflow of the Alau Dam in Konduga. Together, we can continue providing urgent humanitarian support for the families and children who lost everything. 

1.3 million individuals were affected by the severe flooding. 

Over 240,000 families were displaced, losing their homes in the devastating natural disaster. 

40% of the city flooded, destroying infrastructure and restricting access to schools, health care facilities and markets. 

Our collective impact in Nigeria  

Since 1973, SOS Children’s Villages has provided safe homes and loving families to children without parental care and strengthened families to prevent separation in Nigeria.   

In response to the severe flooding in September, SOS Children’s Villages launched an emergency plan to provide critical and life-saving assistance to the most affected families and children. With the support of compassionate people like you, our local staff and partner organizations, together, we:  

  • Delivered immediate needs—food, clean water and emergency supplies to underserved internally displaced camps in the Maiduguri metropolis.  

  • Provided unconditional financial assistance of 10,000 Naira each to 3,000 families. 

  • Distributed menstrual hygiene kits to 300 young girls.  

 



Children in crisis need you 

Without immediate aid and protection, children face horrifying dangers—violence, exploitation, hunger, separation from their families and so much more. Your gift to the Children in Crisis Fund saves lives. Be the helping hand a child needs today, providing safety, stability and love to the most vulnerable children.

Donate now

Sudan conflict  

In April 2023, a brutal civil war erupted in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, and has been spreading steadily to eastern and southern Sudan.  

Six million people are displaced in Sudan, the highest number of internally displaced people in the world. 

Three million children were uprooted from their homes by the violence, the largest number globally.  

One million people have fled to neighboring countries like Egypt, Chad and South Sudan. 

Our collective impact in Sudan  

Since 1978, SOS Children’s Villages has provided safe homes and loving families to children without parental care and strengthened families to prevent separation in Sudan.    

In response to the life-threatening conflict, SOS Children’s Villages launched an emergency plan to provide critical and life-saving assistance to the most affected families and children. With the support of compassionate people like you, our local staff and partner organizations, together, we:  

  • Launched a comprehensive, three-year emergency response program that will provide life-saving assistance to more than 32,000 of the most affected individuals by 2026—providing food security, water and sanitation resources and economic empowerment to caregivers while protecting children from abuse, neglect and violence.  

  • Provided hygiene kits, financial assistance and psychosocial support for children and young people to more than 10,000 people. 

  • Delivered child-friendly spaces for educational and mental health services to 515 children. 

  • Supported 150 families fostering children without parental care. 

  • Reunified 25 children with their families after they had been separated in the conflict.

 



Children in crisis need you 

Without immediate aid and protection, children face horrifying dangers—violence, exploitation, hunger, separation from their families and so much more. Your gift to the Children in Crisis Fund saves lives. Be the helping hand a child needs today, providing safety, stability and love to the most vulnerable children.

Donate now

Past emergency responses

Syria earthquake 

In 2023, a devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked Syria and Turkey, shattering lives and reducing entire communities to rubble.  

  • 16.7 million people needed urgent humanitarian support.
  • 5,900 lives were lost and more than 12,800 people were injured.  
  • Children made up 45% of those in desperate need of support.  
     

Our collective impact in Syria:

Since 1981, SOS Children’s Villages has provided safe homes and loving families to children without parental care and strengthened families to prevent separation in Syria.    

With the support of compassionate people like you, our local staff and partner organizations mobilized immediately to support children and families impacted by the devastating natural disaster. Together, we:  

  • Delivered essential supplies—hygiene, newborn and school kits—to 3,930 people who lost everything.  
  • Provided critical assistance—including health care, nutritious meals, education, legal support, rent and more—to 180 families in urgent need.  
  • Empowered children with safety trainings, teaching 148 children about child protection efforts and their rights.  
  • Strengthened families through positive parenting and discipline awareness sessions for 90 parents and 16 teachers.  
  • Helped rebuild livelihoods, training 70 families in income-generating activities to create a reliable and sustainable source of income.  

Pakistan floods 

In 2022, devastating floods submerged one-third of Pakistan.

  • More than 20 million people needed dire humanitarian aid. 
  • More than 8 million people were displaced, and 2.3 million homes were damaged or destroyed.
  • $30 billion in estimated costs to repair the staggering damage.  
     

Our collective impact in Pakistan:

Since the 1960s, SOS Children’s Villages has provided safe homes and loving families to children without parental care and strengthened families to prevent separation in Pakistan.    

With the support of compassionate people like you, our local staff and partner organizations mobilized immediately to support children and families impacted by the devastating natural disaster. Together, we:

  • Delivered more than 10,000 food rations to families who lost everything. 
  • Supplied more than 2,400 water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) kits so families and children could care for their basic needs.  
  • Provided more than 900 medicine packages to ensure vulnerable children and families received life-saving health care.  
  • Distributed more than 700 shelter kits, containing essential supplies like tents, blankets, clothing, shoes, solar lamps and more.